Hearing Awareness Week 2018: Time for a hearing check?
4 million Australians are hearing impaired
Hearing Awareness Week focuses on the fragility of our hearing health and ways we can protect it.
The Week begins Sunday, February 25, 2018. It aims to eliminate the stigma, isolation, lack of work opportunities, and the associated health issues to improve the overall quality of life for people with deafness or hearing impairment.
Hearing Loss is often described as the ‘invisible disability’.
This is partly because hearing aids tend not to be obvious. It’s also because those affected are often isolated through lack of access to communications.
“We need Australians to understand the various degrees of hearing loss and ear and balance disorders. We want to help them feel part of the conversation again,” said Gary Rayment, Hearing Care Professional at Smart Hearing Solutions in St Agnes.”
“As technology advances, many people with hearing loss benefit from hearing aids and cochlear implants. These innovations have made a real difference in the way they can communicate and enjoy their lives. But communication can be exhausting for a hearing-impaired person, even with a hearing aid or cochlear implant.”
Better hearing care, earlier
People often wait for years before they seek help for their hearing loss. They ignore the signs, which include turning the TV or stereo up so loud that others complain, frequently needing to ask others to repeat themselves and not being able to hear properly on the telephone.
“Many people, especially adults, can’t afford to buy and maintain their own hearing devices. One of the greatest challenges is a lack of recognition of the life-long financial burdens to access education and to participate fully in the workforce,” Mr Rayment said.
“It’s about finding a solution that suits a person’s lifestyle, budget and their hearing loss. Our approach is all about giving people choice and the ongoing advice and support they need.”
Try our 3-minute online hearing quiz to check if you may have a hearing issue
This Hearing Awareness Week, visit Smart Hearing Solutions for a free hearing test or a thorough diagnostic hearing assessment – or, as a first step, try our 3-minute online hearing quiz.
Call us on 1300 HEAR SMART (1300 017 732) to make an appointment.